Garbage disposal apparatus



Dec. 17, 1940. w HAMMES 2,225,171

GARBAGE DISPOSAL APPARATUS Filed Nov; 5, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

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772 ,akzmmwwa ATTORNEYS Dec. 17, 1940. l w HAMMES 2,225,171

GARBAGE DI SPOSAL APPARATUS Filed NOV. 3, 1937 2 ShGGt S ShGGT 2INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY 5 Patented Dec. 17, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

amass nrsrosan armaa'rus John w. Hammcl, Racine, wa. ApplicationNovember 3, 1931, Serial No. 172,526

22 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in garbage disposal apparatuses,and more particularly to a garbage disposal device attached to a kitchensink in registration with the drain thereof.

A general object of the present invention is to pipes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a garbage disposalapparatus for kitchen sinks interposed in the sink drain pipe below thesink outlet, novel means being provided in the apparatus forexpeditiously and effectively grinding, mashing and reducing all formsof garbage whereby the reduced garbage can be flushed through the drainconnections and into the sewer by the flow of tap water.

A further object of the invention is to provide a garbage disposalapparatus of the character described having a novel form of rotarycutting member therein operable in reverse directions by a reversibleelectric motor, the apparatus being substantially automatic in operationwhereby handling of garbage for disposal is reduced to a minimum.

A further object of the invention is to provide a garbage disposalapparatus of the character described equipped with a novel and effectiveform of drain stopper or valve for the sink to which the apparatus isapplied.

A further object of the invention is to provide a garbage disposalattachment for kitchen sinks which is easy to operate, which is clean,sanitary and eflicient, which is stron'g and durable, which is compact,'and which is well adapted for the purposes set forth.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of theimproved garbage disposal apparatus, and its parts and combinations asset forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanyingdrawings in which the same reference charactersindicate the same parts -'in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the improved garbagedisposal apparatus incorporated with the drain outlet of a sink, saidview being taken on line ll of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the garbage disposal (Cl. 8H)

apparatus incorporated with the drain outlet of a sink, the sink bottombeing broken away;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 8-3 of Fig. 1 on alarger scale and showing the spacing arms of the drain stopper in pro-Jected position; I

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3 with the spacing areasretracted:

Fig. 51s a horizontal sectional view taken on line 8- -5 of Fig. 1 witha portion of the drain pipe broken away;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side view of the upper portion of the apparatusshowing the mounting fortthe motor switch, the sink bottom being in secion;

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the comminuting rotor;

\ ,Fig. 8 is a perspective view, partly broken away and in section, ofthe comminuting wall of the apparatus; and

Fig. 9 is a developed view of the member of Fig. 8 to illustrate theformation of the cutting grooves.

Referring now more partcularly to the drawof a refuse container ofsubstantially cylindrical form having at its upper end an annular flangei8 secured to the nut It by bolts I! with an interposed fibrous materialgasket 20. The heads of the bolts l9 are counter-sunk into recesses 2|therefor in the nut i6, while the lower ends of the bolts carry standardnuts 22. 4

Adapted for removable and adjustable seating within. the" drain neck l5which is internally downwardly tapered, is a stopper member 23 which isgenerally in the form of an inverted basket of circular contour. Saidstopper memberis imperforate and when sink drainage is to take place, itis intended that such fluid drainage be between the outer periphery ofthe stopper member and the inner wall of the drain neck It, retractablemeans being provided on the stopper member for holding it in a seatedbut spaced relationship for this purpose. Said means comprise aplurality of outwardly Projecting arms 26. A rotatable operating shaft25 extending axially into said stopper member has a disc 25 fast on itsinner end portion. The inner end of each arm 2 5 is bifurcated toembrace a peripheral portion of said disc to which it is attached by apivot pin 21, and the inner surfaces of said bifurcated end are beveledas at 28 and shouldered as at 29 for the purpose of limiting -projectionand retraction of the arms upon turning of the disc, it being evidentthat upon. turning of the disc to project the arms, as in- Figs. 1 and3, movement is ultimately limited by the high portions of the beveledsurfaces 28 binding against the disc, while upon turning movement of thedisc to retract said arms, as in Fig. 4, movement is ultimately arrestedby engagement of the arm shoulders 29 with said disc.

Manipulation and operation of the stopper is facilitated by a knob 30fast on the outer, upper end portion of the shaft 25. The operation anduse of said stopper in conjunction with the sink outlet opening and thedrain neck is as follows: When the sink outlet is to function in itsnormal manner for the outflow of liquid, the stopper arms 24 areprojected as in Figs. 1 and 3 to im-' pinge against inner surfaceportions of the drain neck l5, and holding said stopper member within awider portion of said neck spacedly of the inner wall so that liquid maydrain from the sink through the neck l5 and into the container H bypassing around and over the exterior and periphery of said stoppermember. When closure of the drain is desired to allow water toaccumulate within the sink, the stopper arms 24 are retracted as in Fig.4. Then the stopper member seats further downwardly in said drain neckand tightly closes the same. If larger refuse material is to beintroduced into the container ll,

- tion 34.

the stopper 23 may be bodily removed from the drain neck to entirelyexpose the same.

Positions of adjustment of the stopper arms 24 are retained by a springwasher 3| which is mounted about the operating shaft 25 between the disc26 and a hub 32 on the inner top portion of the stopper member. Itshould be noted that the discharge end of the drain neck, while withinthe upper portion of the container I1 is below the top of the containerand in effect provides an annular baffle to prevent fluid and materialfrom being splashed upwardly and out of the drain neck during millingoperations and when said container 'is substantially filled with liquidand material.

From Fig. 2, it will be observedthat the lower portion of the containerI! is slightly outwardly flared with spaced lateral ears 33 at its lowerextremity. Said ears permit attachment of a lower casing section 34which has registering upper cars 35, there beinga gasket or washer 36 between said flanges 33 and 35 and the flanges being secured together bybolts 31. The mode of assembly of the composite casing or container I1,34 permits the securement within the lower portion of the container of ahardened metal cutting or comminuting shell 38. This shell is fittedinto an annular interior recess 39 in the container l1 and seats in agroove 40 in the sec- The lower portion of said shell is of cylindricalform while the upper portion thereof is slightly upwardly, inwardlyreduced.

With special reference to the comminuting shell 38 which is shown indetail in Fig. 8, attention is-directed to the fact that the inner faceof thelower cylindrical surface thereof is provided with two series ofcutting groove The grooves of one series, designated 4|, extend spirallydownwardly from a vertical line on one side of the shell to a positionone hundred and eighty degrees removed, while the other series ofgrooves, designated 42, extend from the same starting point as thegrooves 4| but in the opposite direction. The terminal of both series ofgrooves is at the triangular cutting shoulder or boss 43 which extendsthe full height of said shell 38. Fig. 9 is a schematic inner face viewofthe shell 38 developed longitudinally to show the development of theseries of grooves 4| and 42 and their relation to the boss 43.

Integral with the lower portion of the casing section 34 and extendinglaterally outwardly thereof is a tubular drain elbow 44. The outer endof this elbow may connect with a conventional trap (not shown). Thelower portion of the casing section 34 is closed and provides a top bellenclosure for a depended electric motor 45 confined within a motorcasing 45 which is complementary to the casing 34 and which is removablysecured thereto by elongated bolts 41. The electric motor is of areversible type, as will be brought out hereinafter. The entire casingor container assembly comprising the members H, 34 and 45 is extremelycompact and is susceptible of ready and convenient assembly anddisassembly. The compact arrangement is highly desirable in an apparatusof this character as available space below a sink is often quitelimited.

The motor shaft 48 extends vertically upwardly through the bottom of thecontainer section 34 and into the interior thereof. The bottom of saidsection 34 is formed with an enlarged up'wardly projecting bored boss 49and within the bore thereof and surrounding the enclosed portion of themotor shaft is a bushing 50. The uppermost extremity of the motor shaft43, above the boss 49, is squared as at 5|. A comminuting rotor 52,generally in the form of a disc, is mounted fast on said squared portion5| of the motor shaft. Said comminuting rotor is shown in detail in Fig.5 and is formed of hardened steel. Its top surface is formed with aplurality of equally spaced apart radial ribs 53 and the sector-likeareas between the ribs are inclined downwardly outwardlv from the apex.Depending from the bottom of the rotor 52 is an angularly shaped fin 54which is adapted to turn as a paddle within the'lower portion of thecontainer section 34 radially outwardly of the upstanding boss 49. Therotor 52 is mounted fast on the end portion 5| of the motor shaft bymeans of a squared opening 55 extending through the center portion ofthe rotor and of a size to snugly receive the said end por tion of themotor shaft. Said opening 55 is. however, extended through the rotor atan angle to the vertical axis thereof so that in the operativedisposition oi the rotor on the motor shaft. the rotor is maintained atan oblique angle. The rotor is furthermore positioned relative to theinterior of the container section 'II so that it substantially coincideswith the comminuting grooves 4| and 42 within the shell 38, as mostclearly shown in Fig. 1. When the rotor is revolved, its peripheryproduces a'wobbling effect relative to the comminuting surface of theshell 38. The rotor is of a diameter slightly less than the interiordiameter of the cylindrical portion of the shell 38 so that slightclearance is" provided between the periphery of the rotor and the adJacent inner surface of the shell, whereby material, after being actedon, may pass between the upper end of the boss 4! and the bushing ll.

and has a thrust effect on these parts and thereby acts as a water seal,preventing the flow of liquid from the lower reservoir portion of thecontainer section 34 into the motor casing. The

nnllrotating withinsaldreservolrportion of.

the casing, serves to direct fluid and material from said reservoirportion into the outlet or discharge elbow N. a

As before mentioned, the electric motor ll is of a type which may bereversed or rotated in either direction. For the purpose of operatingand controlling the motor, a switch box I] is provided which switch boxis depended from the upper portion of the container II. The moimtingmeans for the switch box consists of an arc-shaped band or strap lengaging-an upper peripheral portion .of the casing section 11 and beingarcuately and adiustably-secured thereto by means of bolts ll extendedthrough elongated slots 59 in said strap or band 51.

Current-from a suitable source of supll ll (not shown) is led into theswitch box through a cable 80. Within the switch box there are movablemulti-contact make andbreak elements controlled by an operating knob IIand said knob may be turned from an "off" position to' one 'fon positionwhich will cause operation of the motor in one direction, or to another"on" position which will cause operation of. the motor in a reversedirection. Another cable .62 leads from the switch box and extends tothe motor 45.

As before suggested, the improved garbage disposal apparatus is adaptedto bemounted in connection with and below the normal drain outlet of asink. when the sink is used for normal purposes and contains only water.and

only water and fine refuse is to be flushed therefrom, it is unnecessaryto set the motor 48 into operation. The drain openlng of the sink can inthis event be closed to enable the sink to temporarily retain water bymanipulation of the stopper arms 24, as heretofore explained, permittingthe stopper 23 to tightly seat within the drain neck ill. When thecontents of the sink are to be drained. a simple manipulation of theknob 30 of the stopper, p ojects the arms 24 and raisesthe stopper,permitting liquid drainage around the periphery of the stopper and intothe container ii. The liquid ultimately I passes around the periphery ofthe rotor 52 and thence outwardly to the trap and sewer via the elbow44. When garbage is to be disposed of, the entire stopper member 23 maybe. removed from the drain'neck l and this material is then introduceddirectly into the container II. It is also desirable to flush saidmaterial with water from the sink tap. Thereupon, the electric motor 45is set into rotation by manipulation of the switch, and rotation of themotor in either direction will be eflective for accomplishing thedesired purposes. Primarily, the material is milled and churned withinthe container l1 and is thrown forcibly against'the walls thereof. andas before mentioned, the depending neck It serves as an annular bailleor splash plate. Ultimately, the harder solid material gravitates ontothe top surface of the comminuting rotor 52. The ribs on said rotor areeffective to initially start the contents of the container into rotationand the actionissuch astodrive thematerlal centrifugaliy outwardlyagainst the wall of the shell 88. The wobble action of the rotor I! inturning, in conjunction with the cutting grooves it and 42 and the boss43, accomplishu grinding, comminuting, and disintegration of v thesolids to an extent where said material with the liquid may ultimatelypass, in finely ground state, be tween the periphery of the rotor andthe inner surface of the shell into the lower reservoir portion of-thecontainer section 34, from whence it is pushed outwardly into the elbowM by the an I. Y

From time to time, it is desirable to operate the motor II in reversedirections, and this serves to clean and free the comminuting teeth andsurfaces of material clinging thereto, and it also has a certainsharpening effect in relation to the efm fective edges of said members.

The specific formation of the stopper member 23 in the present apparatusis particularly advantageous. This stopper member may be elevated in thedrain neck for fluid drainage purposes. and as the drainagetakes placearound the periphery of said stopper member, the stopper member may beformed imperforate and hence there are no apertures therein to clog andto require cleaning.

From theforegoing description it will appear that the improved garbagedisposal apparatus is of simple and novel construction, operatesefficiently and expeditiously, is compact, and may be readily mountedbelow a standard sink, and is well adapted for the purposes described.

:What is claimed as the invention is:

1.'l'.n a garbage disposal apparatus for kitchen sinks having a drainoutlet, a composite container adapted to be supported in fluid-tightrelation and in registration with the sink drain outlet and includingthree vertically superimposed, detachably secured together casingsections, the intermediate section having a tubular liquid dischargepipe extending outwardly of a lower portion thereof, the intermediateand upper sections cooperating to form a refuse milling receptacle, andthe intermediate and lower sections cooperating in the formation of amotor enclosure, a substantially cylindrical and tubular shell, theinner surface of which is serrated in cross section to form anannular'comminuting surface, clamped within one of said sections andlining substantial side wall portions thereof, a motor within saidenclosure having a shaft extending into the milling receptacle, and acomminuting rotor carried by a portion of said shaft within said millingreceptacle, there being means for preventing liquid leakage between saidreceptacle and said motor enclosure.

2. In a garba e disposal apparatus for kitchen sinks, a compositecontainer depended from the sink in registration with the sink drainoutlet, a drain neck depending from the sink outlet into the upperportion of the container and forming an annular baiiie therewithin, saidcontainer including three vertically superimposed, detachto form .anannular comminuting surface,

clamped within said intermediate section and lining a portion thereofabove the reservoir, a

3. In a garbage disposal apparatus for kitchen sinks including a millingreceptacle depended from the sink below .the outlet thereof, a flaringdischarge connection extending from a lower portion of the receptacle,an inner surface portion of the receptacle having two series ofoppositely disposed spiral cutting grooves, a motor associated with thereceptacle and having a drive shaft extending thereinto, and acomminuting rotor carried by an extended portion of said shaft spacedelyabove the bottom wall of the receptacle,

said rotor being rotatable in either direction with its periphery inclose adjacency to the grooves of the receptacle and cooperating withone or the other of said series of grooves, a lower surface portion ofsaid rotor carrying a fin to act as an impeller within the lower portionof the receptacle to move refuse toward said discharge connectionirrespective of the direction of rotation of said rotor.

4. In a garbage disposal apparatus for kitchen sinks including a millingreceptacle depended from the sink below the outlet thereof, an innersurface portion of the receptacle having two series of oppositelydirected splralcutting grooves, a discharge spout communicating with andextending laterally from a lower portion of the receptacle, said spoutbeing relatively wide at its inner end and being outwardly reduced, anda reversible comminuting rotor revolubly mounted in the lower portion ofthe receptacle for rotation in either direction and cooperating with oneor j the other of said series of grooves and adapted to comminute anddirect material toward the inner end of the spout in either direction ofrotation with equal effectiveness.

5. In a garbage disposal apparatus for kitchen sinks including a millingreceptacle depended from the sink below the outlet thereof, a dischargespout communioating with and extending laterally from a lower portion ofthe receptacle,

said spout being relatively wide at its inner end and being outwardlyreduced, wall portions of the spout being tangential to wall portions ofthe receptacle, and a reversible comminuting rotor revolubly mounted inthe lower portion of the receptacle and adapted to direct materialtoward the inner end of the spout in either direction of rotation withequal effectiveness.

6. In a garbage disposal apparatus for kitchen sinks, a compositecontainer adapted to be supported beneath the sink in registration withthe sink drain outlet, a drain neck depending from the sink outlet intothe upper portion of the container, said container including threevertically superimposed, detachably secured together casing sections,the intermediate section having a reservoir in the lower end with adischarge pipe extending outwardly ,thereof, the intermediate and uppersections cooperating to form a refuse milling receptacle, and theintermediate and lower sections cooperating in the formation of a motorenclosure, a shell, the inner surface of which is serrated in crosssection to form an annular comminuting surface, lining a portion thereofabove the reservoir, a motor having a shaft extended into the millingreceptacle, and a comminuting rotor carried by said shaft within thereceptacle adjacent the shell and movable thereadjacent in cuttingrelationship.

7. In a garbage disposal apparatus for kitchen sinks, a compositecontainer adapted to be supported beneath the sink in registration withthe sink drain outlet, or drain neck depending from the sink outlet intothe upper portion of the container, said container including a pluralityof vertically superimposed, detachably secured together casing sections,one section having a reservoir in the lower end with a discharge pipeextending outwardly thereof, an intermediate and an upper sectioncooperating to form a refuse milling receptacle, a shell, the innersurface of which is serrated in cross section to form an annularcomminuting surface and lining a portion thereof above the reservoir, amotor having a shaft extending into the milling receptacle, and acomminuting rotor carried by said shaft within the receptacle adjacentthe shell and movable for comminuting purposes relative to theserrations of the shell.

8. In a garbage disposal apparatus for kitchen sinks including a millingreceptacleadapted to be supported beneath the sink. below the outletthereof, a discharge outlet from a lower portion of the receptacle, aninner surface portion of the receptacle being formed with two series ofrelatively close cutting grooves, one of said series of groovesextending spirally downwardly from a vertical line on one side of thereceptacle to a position removed therefrom a predetermined distance, andthe other series of grooves extending from the same starting point asthe first mentioned series of grooves but being directed spirallydownwardly therefrom in the opposite direction and terminating apredetermined distance from the starting point, a motor associated withthe receptacle and having a drive shaft extending thereinto, and acomminuting rotor carried by the extended portion of said shaft andrevoluble in either direction in close proximity to the grooves in thereceptacle and cooperating with one series of grooves in one directionof rotation and cooperating with the other series of grooves in theother direction of rotation with equal effectiveness, certain surfaceportions of the rotor being higher than other surface portions thereof,the rotor moving so that a vertical line on the grooved surface of thereceptacleis alternately traversed by high and low portions of therotor.

9. In a garbage disposal apparatus for kitchen sinks including-a millingreceptacle adapted to be supported beneath the sink below the outletthereof, a discharge outlet from a lower portion of the receptacle, aninner surface of the receptacle being formedwith two series ofrelatively close cutting grooves, one of said series of groovesextending spirally downwardly from a vertical line on one side of thereceptacle to a position removed therefrom a predetermined distance, andthe otl' 2r series of grooves extending from the same point as the firstmentioned series of grooves but being directed spirally downwardlytherefrom in the opposite direction and terminating a predetermineddistance from the starting point, a reversible motor associated with thereceptacle and having a drive shaft extending thereinto, a

disc-like comminuting rotor carried by the extended portion of saidshaft and selectively revoluble in either direction in close proximityto the grooves in the receptacle and cooperating with one series ofgrooves in one direction of rotation and cooperating with the otherseries of grooves in the other direction of rotation with equaleffectiveness, certain surface portions of the rotor being higher thanother surface portionsthereof, the rotor moving so that a vertical 8line on the grooved surface of the receptacle is alternately traversedby high and low portions of the rotor, and a motor control switcharcuately adjustably mounted on an exterior portion of the receptacle.

l 10. In a garbage disposal apparatus for kitchen sinks, a compositecontainer adapted to be supported beneath the sink and having a tubularliquid discharge pipe extending outwardly of an intermediate portionthereof, the intermediate- 13 and upper portions of the containerforming a milling receptacle, a motor housed within the lower portion ofthe container and having a shaft extending into said intermediateportion of the container, a rotor mounted on the extended portion of theshaft, said rotor having a hub on its under surface through which saidportion of the shaft extends, and a single dividing partition within thecontainer between the intermediate andlower portions thereof and havingan upa standing boss portion through which the rotor shaft also extends,said partition jointly forming the bottom wall of themilling receptacle,the top wall of the motor, a continuation of a wall portion of thedischarge pipe, a thrust bearing for so the hub of the rotor, and awater seal for the bottom portion of the milling receptacle.

11. In a garbage disposal apparatus for kitchen sinks, a. compositecontainer adapted to be sup- 8 ported beneath the sink in registrationwith the sink drain outlet, a drain neck depending from the sink outletinto the upper portion of the container and forming an annular bailietherewithin, said container including a plurality of superimposed,detachably secured together casing 40 sections, an intermediate sectionhaving a reservoir in the lower end with a-discharge pipe extendingoutwardly thereof, said section and an upper section cooperating to forma refuse milling receptacle, said section and a lower sectioncooperating in the formation of a motor enclosure, an inner surface of asection forming the receptacle being provided with cutting grooves, amotor within said enclosure having a shaft ex- 50 tending into themilling receptacle, and a comminuting rotor carried by said shaft withinthe receptacle adjacent the cutting grooves and movable in cooperativerelation thereto.

12. In a garbage disposal apparatus adapted 55 for use with a sinkhaving an outlet, including a milling receptacle adapted to be supportedin fluid-tight relation beneath the. sink and in register with theoutlet thereof, a discharge connecti'on extending from a lower portionof the 6o receptacle, an inner surface portion of the receptacle havingtwo series of oppositely directed spiral cutting grooves, a motorassociated with the receptacle and having a drive shaft extendingthereinto, and a comminuting rotor carried 5 by an extended portion 'ofsaid drive shaft, said rotor having a plurality of radially disposedsectors and being mounted so that any of its radial sectors is obliqueto the axis of the shaft, said rotor being rotatable equally effectivein either :0 direction with its periphery in close adjacency to thegrooves of the receptacle and cooperating with one or the other of saidseries of grooves depending on the direction of rotation to eliminatejamming of the material milled, the top 7 surface of said rotor beingformed with radial ribs separating the sectors to carry the materialaround with the rotor.

13. In a garbage disposal apparatus adapted for use with a sink havingan outlet, including a milling receptacle adapted to be supported be- 5neath the sink outlet, a discharge connection extors and being mountedso that any of its radial intermediate sectors is oblique to the axis ofthe shaft, said rotor being rotatable equally effective in eitherdirection with its periphery in close ad-v jacency to the groove of thereceptacle and cooperating with said series of grooves, depending on thedirection of rotation to vertically move the material being milled, thetop surface of said rotor being formed with-radial ribs and the sectorsbeing downwardly outwardly inclined between the ribs.

14. In a-g-arbage disposal apparatus adapted for use with a sink havingan outlet, including a milling receptacle adapted to be positionedbeneath .the sink and in line with the outlet thereof, a dischargeconnection extending from a lower portion of the receptacle, an innersurface portion of the receptacle having two series of oppositelydirected spiral cutting grooves, a motor associated with the receptacleand having a drive shaftextending thereinto, and a plate-likecomminuting 3g rotor carried by an extended portion of said shaft, saidrotor having a plurality of radially disposed sectors of differentlevels and being mounted so that any of its radial intermediate sectorsis oblique to the axis of the shaft, said 40 rotor being rotatableequally eflec-tively in either direction with its periphery in closeadjacency to the grooves of the receptacle and cooperating with saidseries of grooves depending on the direction of rotation to verticallymove the material being milled, the lower surface of said rotor having afin to act as a paddle within the lower portion of the receptacle.

15. In a garbage disposal apparatus adapted for use with a kitchen sinkhaving an outlet, ineluding a milling receptacle adapted to be supportedbeneath the sink and below the outlet theerof, aiiaring dischargeconnection extending from a lower portion of the receptacle, an innersurface portion of the receptacle having two series of oppositelydirected spirally formed cutting grooves, a motor associated with thereceptacle and having a drive shaft extending thereinto, and aplate-like comminuting rotor carried by an extended portion of saidshaft, said rotor having a plurality of sectors at different levels andbeing mounted so that any of its sectors is oblique to the axis of theshaft, said rotor being rotatable equally effectively in eitherdirection with its periphery in close adjacency to the grooves of thereceptacle and cooperating with said series of grooves depending on thedirection of rotation to vertically move. the material being milled, thelower surface of said rotor having a fin to act as a paddle within thelower portion of the receptacle and the top surface of said rotor beingformed with substantially radially disposed ribs defining the sectorspositioned between the ribs. 16. A refuse disposal apparatus adapted foruse with the outlet of a sink or the like, com- 78 prising amillingreceptacle adapted to be positioned beneath the sink outlet, a dischargespout communicating with and extending laterally from a lower portion ofthe receptacle, said spout being relatively wide at its inner end andreduced at its other end, the wall portions of the spout forming part ofthe wall portions of the receptacle, and a reversible comminuting rotorrotatably mounted in the lower portion of the recep-v tacle and adaptedto direct the milled materialv towards the inner end of the spout withequal eflectiveness irrespective of the direction of rotation of saidrotor.

17. An apparatus of the character set forth in claim 16 in which saidrotor comprises a disk. the central transverse plane of which isdisposed at an angle to the axis about which the rotor roabout whichsaid rotor turns and has its upper surface divided intosectors atrelatively diflerent levels thereby to carry the material towards thevdischarge spout equally eflectively irrespective of its direction ofrotation. V

20. An apparatus of the character set forth in claim 16 in which theinner surface of the receptacle is provided with a milling surfaceadJacent the rotor, and in which the rotor comprises a disk with itstransverse plane relatively disposed at an angle to the axis about whichthe rotor turns whereby any point in the periphery of the rotor isprogressively carried into engagement with the milling surface on thereceptacle. 21. An apparatus of the character set forth in claim 16 inwhich the sides of the discharge spout are substantially tangential tothe walls of the receptacle whereby the material milled will be throwninto said discharge spout in part by the centrifugal action of the rotorirrespective of the direction in which said rotor turns.

22. An apparatus of the character set forth in claim 16 in which themilling receptacle is provided with an inserted annular milling membercoacting with the periphery of said motor.

JOHN W. HANEMES.

